Fire department connections (FDC) are found everywhere that not only commercial and industrial buildings are found, but also at locations of multi-occupant residential units as well. Indeed, in some areas where there may not be a fire hydrant within a predetermined distance from a single family dwelling, an FDC may be required outside of the residence by local officials.
A sprinkler system is an array of descending sized interconnected pipes with water therein under pressure. This pressurized water is released upon the occurrence of high heat from the fire, because the sprinkler head seals melt away as is known in the art. In order to replenish sprinkler system water, and maintain the pressure, fire trucks come to a fire scene and connect to the FDC as well as to a local hydrant. Water used to fight fires is moved from a source, such as a fire hydrant, to one or more fire trucks, from which the water is pumped to the FDC and from the FDC to the sprinkler system for the building. Next time you visit a local mall or a “Big Box Store” there will be one or more FDCs nearby for use in case of fire.
The input source of water for the FDC is usually a municipal water source or a tanker truck. But due to the nature of the construction and operation of the FDC, water is not under pressure therein until water is pumped into it. Compare this to a fire hydrant, which upon opening will flood the immediate area with flowing water due to the pressurization. Thus, opening of the port of an FDC does not bring forth water. Because of this lack of pressurization of the FDC, the ports can be accessed without too much effort, vandalism—both destructive and nondestructive—can and does occur. Children and vandal adults often try to put stones, sticks, newspaper and other debris into the port(s) of an FDC.
Since the presence of these undesired items can cause blockage of fluid flow, when water is pumped from the fire truck, it is important to try to prevent items from clogging the throat of the port(s) and thereby impeding water flow.
Applicant who has a long history of involvement with FDCs, sprinklers, and fire protection cogitated on the issue at hand. Finally, applicant created a filter system that can be integrated into the FDC to prevent retardation of fluid flow by thwarting debris from entering the FDC's down tube that leads to the sprinkler system. This is accomplished by having the debris fall forward out of the direct line of fluid flow, coupled with the use of filter media, both fixed and removable, undesirables as small as ⅛ inch can be prevented from clogging sprinkler system fluid lines. FDC units vary in two ways: First, the number of ports; and second the size of diameter of the down pipe, which feeds from the ports. The down pipe which is the pipe below the debris filter box usually varies from four to ten inches in diameter. Actual size will depend upon geographical location and type of facility where the FDC is located.
FDCs, as noted, vary with the number of ports. The least is two and the maximum is generally six or eight. Various permutations of pipe diameter and port number are found in the field. Thus a 4-inch pipe in one location can have two ports, but in a different location where fire is a greater hazard, such as a dry-cleaning plant, the same pipe could have three or four ports attached thereto. The size and nature of the building use influences such as a fire marshal's decision for the configuration of an FDC.
In all instances, interior access is achieved by either threaded bolt or by friction fit connectors which are press fit into position and of course can be removed by the application of leverage. As noted above, water flows from the source, a tanker or hydrant, to the fire truck to the FDC, and out the FDC to the sprinkler system of the building. It is also to be noted that unlike a hydrant, which has an easy access rotatable valve such that after rotation, upon removal of the cap, a lot of water is wasted out onto the street. The FDC, while under pressure, has a one-way clapper therein to prevent fluid loss upon accession.
The invention accordingly comprises the device possessing the features, properties, the selection of components which are amplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.